Foam injection sprinkler system with anticontamination connections



March 25, 1952 RlDER FOAM INJECTION SPRINKLER SYSTEM WITH ANTICONTAMINATION CONNECTIONS Filed Jan. 25, 1950 INVENTOR; //6& f7] M 8/ 0 6 Patented Mar. 25, 1952 FOAM INJECTION SPRINKLER SYSTEM WITH ANTICONTAMINATION CON- NECTIONS Harry N. Rider, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Automatic Sprinkler Corporation of America, Youngstown, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application January 25, 1950, Serial No. 140,422

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a sprinkler system and more particularly to a sprinkler system in which foam liquid is injected for the generation of foam for delivery by the sprinkler system to the fire area in which the sprinkler system is located.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a foam injection sprinkler system in corporating means preventing the foam contamination of the sprinkler system water supply source. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sprinkler system having means for injecting foam liquid into the distributing pipng thereof and means to prevent siphoning of the contents of the sprinkler system into the water supply source thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a foam injection sprinkler system which may be installed and connected to public water supply sources in various localities having anti-contamination rules governing such installations.

. A still further object of the invention is the provision of a foam injection sprinkler system having a pair of automatic valves controlling the water supply source and foam liquid supply source, respectively, and the foam liquid supply valve and source separated from the water supply source and sprinkler piping by an antisiphoning construction to prevent contamination of the water supply source.

The foam injection sprinkler system shown and described herein comprises an improvement in the art of fire protection in that a sprinkler system adapted for installation in various hazardous occupancies is adapted for the generation and delivery of fire extinguishing foam by the addition thereto of an appropriate foam liquid supply source and means for moving the said foam liquid into the main riser of the sprinkler system where foam may be generated and delivered by the distributing piping to extinguish a fire in the area controlled by the sprinkler system. More importantly, the foam injection sprinkler With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

The figure is a side elevation of a foam generating sprinkler system with parts broken away and parts in cross section.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that the foam generating sprinkler system comprises a Water supply source [0 controlled by an OS&Y valve l I and an automatically actuated sprinkler valve I2. The automatically actuated valve l2 includes a clapper l3 which is normally closed and latched by a latch M which in turn carries a lever l5 positioned for actuation by a weight I6 normally elevated with respect thereto and guided thereto by a guide rod I! which is pivoted to the lever [5. The automatic valve l2 communicates with piping [8 including an elevated inverted U-shaped anti-siphoning section [9 located at a point higher than the highest distributing piping 20 in communication with a main riser 2! of the sprinkler system. The antisiphoning section l9 of the piping I8 is also higher system disclosed herein incorporates novel antisiphoning features which prevent the foam in the sprinkler system, after actuation thereof, from being siphoned or drained into the water supply lines or source of the sprinkler system and thereby makes possible the foam generating sprinkler system in various localities with complete safety to the water supply sources of those localities with respect to contamination therein from the foam liquid utilized.

than the highest one of the open sprinklers or deflectors 22 on the distributing piping 20 through which the foam generated in the sprinkler system is discharged.

The riser 2| extends downwardly from its point of connection with the piping l8 and communicates with piping 23 which in turn communicates with an automatic valve 24 including a clapper 25 normally closing an inlet in communication with an OS&Y valve 26. The OS-SzY valve 26 communicates with a foam supply source 21 which will comprise a tank and pump having sufi'icient capacity to supply foam in the indicated amounts to the sprinkler system. The clapper 25 is normally secured in closed position by a latch 28 to which a lever 29 is aflixed and the free end of the lever 29 is pivotally affixed to a guide rod 30 which in turn has a vertically movable weight 3| thereon. An electrically actuated latch 32 normally holds the weight 31 in elevated relation with respect to the lever 29 and is adapted upon being actuated to release the weight 3| and to permit it to fall so that it will strike the lever 29 and move the latch 28 to open positionand permit the clapper 25 to open. Simultaneously with this action the foam liquid supply 21 is actuated as, for example, by energizing a pump in the foam liquid supply line so that the foam liquid will flow upwardly through the automatic valve 24, the piping 23 and into the main riser 2! of the sprinkler system where the foam is generated, as the foam liquid mixes with the water which is also introduced into the main riser 2| by way of the piping l8 and the anti-siphoning section thereof.

In order that water can be introduced into the main riser 2| in advance of the introduction of foam thereinto through the piping 23, a pressure responsive release 33 on the automatic valve !2 is connected with and is adapted to be actuated by a plurality of heat actuated devices 33 in the fire zone, and the pressure responsive release 33, such as known in the art, upon actuation drops the weight IE; to strike the lever i5 and move the latch l4 and open the clapper l3 of the automatic valve l2. An electrical switch 35 connected with electrical circuit wires including a power source controls the latch 32 heretofore referred to so that upon the weight 55 dropping, the

switch 35 is closed and the latch 32 is actuated to'release the weight 3 i.

The operation of the foam injection sprinkler system is, therefore, dependent upon initial actuationof the heat actuated devices 34 in the fire zone. The pressure responsive device 33 connected with the heat actuated devices 34 serves to release the weight l6 and open the clapper l3 of the automatic valve l2. Water then flows from the Water supply source Ii) through the piping l8 and the anti-siphoning section :9 thereof and into the main riser 2i. Simultaneously with the opening of the automatic valve l2 the closing of the switch 35, as occasioned by the dropping of the weight Iii, will release the latch 32 normally holding the weight 3i in elevated relation and the same will drop and cause the release of the latch 28 to free the clapper 25 and permit foam liquid from the source 2? to flow upwardly through the automatic valve 24, the piping 23 and into the riser 2!. sprinkler system will then discharge foam by way of the distributing piping 2i! and the open sprinklers or deflectors 22.

When the fire has been extinguished and it is desired to reset the sprinkler system for subsequent operation, the OS&Y valves H and 26 are closed and the foam liquid supply pump shut off. The valves I2 and 24 are then opened and the clappers l3 and 25 manually reset as are the weights I6 and M. It will be observed that the piping l8 and the anti-siphoning section 19 thereof is provided with a vent 31 at a point thereon higher than the highest opening on the distributing piping 23. Thus, water in the piping [8 will flow downwardly into the automatic valve [2 and out through the drain thereof which is around the lever 15 and the admission of air through the vent 31 to the piping [8 will prevent the siphoning of any liquid from the sprinkler system riser 2i into the piping 8. The vent 3? may be a simple air vent or it may comprise an open sprinkler or deflector from which water will be delivered during the operation of the sprinkler system.

It will thus be seen that a foam injection sprinkler system has been disclosed which may be installed in various localities wherein regulations require precautions against the introducvltioniof forei'gn materials'into. the water supply The 4 and further that the foam injection sprinkler system will efficiently operate upon the outbreak of fire in the area covered to mix water and foam liquid or foam liquid concentrate to produce foam of fire extinguishing quality and quantity'and deliver the same through the distributing piping of the sprinkler system and discharge the same on the fire through the defiectors in communication therewith.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A foam injection sprinkler system comprising in combination a single system of distributing piping having open sprinklers thereon and a separately controlled water supply source and a separately controlled foam liquid supply source both in communication therewith in advance of the sprinklers, the means establishing communication between the said water supply source and the said distributing piping including an inverted U-shaped anti-siphoning section having a vent thereon and positioned above the highest portion of the said distributin piping.

2. A foam injection sprinkler system comprising in combination a single system of distributing piping having open sprinklers thereon and a water supply source and a foam liquid supply source both in the communication therewith in advance of the sprinklers, the means establishing communication between the said water supply source and the said distributing piping including an inverted U-shaped anti-siphoning section having a vent thereon and positioned above the highest portion of the said distributing piping, and a pair of automatic valves, onenormally controlling the said water supply source and one normally controlling the foam liquid supply source, heat actuated devices in a fire Zone, the said automatic valve controlling the water supply source being opened in response to operation of the said heat actuated devices, and actuating means interconnecting the said automatic valves, the actuating means for the automatic valve controlling the foam liquid supply source being responsive in operation to the closing of the said water controlling automatic valve and effecting opening of the foam liquid supply valve after opening of the water control valve.

3. In a foam injection sprinkler system comprising in combination a single system of 'distributing pip-ing having open sprinklers thereon and a water supply source and a foam liquid supply source both in communication therewith, the means establishing communication between the said water supply source and the said 'distributing piping including an inverted U-shaped anti-siphoning section having a vent thereon and positioned above the highest portion of the said distributing piping, a normally closed automatic valve in the said water supply source and a normally closed automatic valve in the said foam liquid supply source, and means on the said automatic valve in the water supply source and responsive to the operation thereof for opening the said automatic valve in the foam liquid supply source after opening of the valve for the water supply source whereby a mixture of foam liquid and water are delivered to the distributing piping and open sprinklers and intermingled to form foam while flowing toward the sprinklers.

4. The combination of an automatic sprinkler system including a single system of distributing piping in a fire zone in communication with a water supply source anda normally closed automatic valve in said supply source, and means for generating foam in the said sprinkler system and delivering it to the said distributing piping, said means comprising a source of foam liquid and secondary piping establishing communication between the said source of foam liquid and to said distributing piping, the means establishing communication between the said water supply source and the said distributing piping including an inverted U-shaped anti-siphoning section having a vent thereon and positioned above the highest portion of said distributing piping, and a normally closed secondary automatic valve in said secondary piping, the secondary automatic valve responsive in operation t- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,596,280 Loepsinger Aug. 1'7, 1926 1,941,700 Lowe Jan. 2, 1934 

